1 of 2 Donald Trump at a rally in Waco City, Texas on March 27, 2023 — Photo: Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP Donald Trump at a rally in Waco City, Texas on March 27, 2023 — Photo: Suzanne Lamb/AFP
The nature of the crimes Trump is accused of will not be known until he is introduced. Based on the case history, he is expected to face the following charges:
- Providing false information (which is considered a misdemeanor).
- Violating campaign finance laws (a felony).
the next few days
In view of the prominence of the accused, doubts remain as to what will happen in the coming days.
Prosecutors, led by prosecutor Alvin Bragg, have already contacted Trump’s legal defense to negotiate how the former president should position himself.
Susan R. Necheles, one of Trump’s attorneys, told the New York Times that Trump is scheduled to appear before the Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday to face indictment.
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Generally, defendants appearing before a judge to be charged are handcuffed. It may be that Trump, as a former president, will not go through with it.
“This is unprecedented and there is no set procedure,” said former US Secret Service agent Robert McDonald, now a professor of criminal justice at the University of New Haven.
Given Trump’s notoriety and his ongoing candidacy for the 2024 presidential election (he has already started his precandidate run), it is likely that the judge will not classify the former president as a flight risk and Trump will be able to walk after the proceedings. , possibly against payment of a deposit.
If he doesn’t cooperate
However, some believe the former president may refuse to turn himself in and resist the Manhattan District Attorney stopping him.
“You could imagine Trump wanting to do that,” former prosecutor Shan Wu said. “That’s something District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office would fear.”
Trump is a precandidate for President of the Republican Party. He may be trying to antagonize political opponents with the indictment (he has previously said that Bragg is in the employ of Joe Biden).
If the former president does, he could refuse to leave the state of Florida where he lives. In these circumstances, the prosecutor would have to seek extradition to the Florida court.
Before the New York court, Trump must be accompanied at all times by Secret Service agents, the body responsible for the security of US presidents and former presidents.
police ready
All NYPD officers serving on patrols must be prepared to be subpoenaed after charges are filed, according to a police statement released by the New York Times.
The text states that all members must be mobilized at all times.
remember the case
Trump reportedly paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 in the weeks leading up to the 2016 election to keep quiet about an alleged extramarital relationship.
2 of 2 Stormy Daniels in October 2018 — Photo: Markus Schreiber/AP Stormy Daniels in October 2018 — Photo: Markus Schreiber/AP
Such a payment would not be illegal, but in practice the money was justified as legal fees for one of Trump’s attorneys, Michael Cohen it is this attempt to disguise the nature of the payment that can be considered criminal; The public prosecutor assumes that the business registration was falsified.
In addition, the indirect payment would also be an attempt to hide a relationship from voters, prosecutors claim.
What is charge?
Being indicted in a US court means that a person has been formally charged with a felony by a grand jury or district attorney. The charges are the result of a police or FBI investigation that collected sufficient evidence to support the charges. Being accused does not mean that the person is guilty, only that there is a reason to bring them to justice.